A heat exchanger, for example used in the automobile industry, comprises fluid heat exchange and flow elements in which fluids mutually exchanging heat circulate. The heat exchange elements can, for example, comprise tubes or plates, fins for disrupting the circulation of gas and/or disturbing fluid flow disrupting elements, or similar.
Such exchangers used in the automobile domain are known, notably in the field of supercharged heat engines.
In this case, the heat exchanger, also called supercharging air cooler (abbreviated RAS), makes it possible to cool the supercharging air of an engine by heat exchange with another fluid such as the outside air or a liquid such as the water from the engine coolant circuit, thus forming an air/air or liquid/air type exchanger.
Traditionally, the air is received at what those skilled in the art often refer to as “intake manifold”.
The manifold is fastened to the cylinder head of the combustion chamber, that is to say the cylinder inlet. Depending on the engine speed, the air may be cooled, wholly or partly, or not cooled.
According to one known solution, the heat exchanger RAS is received in the manifold and makes it possible to cool the air which passes through it.
To this end, the manifold has an open face allowing for the introduction of the exchanger RAS within it. This opening is subsequently closed by a closing cover.
It is therefore necessary to provide an additional assembly step. This can have an impact on the cost.
Furthermore, this implementation can present sealing drawbacks, which can result in poor heat exchange performance levels and in particular generate vibration phenomena. In effect, the sealing between the outside medium and the device, the sealing between the closing cover and the bundle, and the sealing between the bundle and the manifold all have to be controlled.
Furthermore, the connection between the bundle and the lateral closing cover can require the addition of fastening parts such as screws or clips.
It may also be necessary to add joints at the water connections.